A domestic violence survivor who killed her husband after he had beaten her in front of neighbours could be released from jail after spending just over two years in custody.
WARNING: This story contains content that readers may find distressing.
Jean Louise Herholdt stabbed Sean Murray once in the back at their Murrumba Downs home in August, 2020.
The 32-year-old's left lung was penetrated, and he died at the scene.
Herholdt was originally charged with her husband's murder but pleaded guilty to the downgraded offence of manslaughter earlier this week.
She was sentenced to seven and a half years in jail, with a parole eligibility date set from Friday.
During a sentencing hearing on Tuesday, the Supreme Court in Brisbane heard on the morning of the stabbing, the pair became involved in an argument which quickly turned violent.
The court heard the fight had erupted over an allegation that Mr Murray had taken cash from Herholdt, which she was planning to use to flee him and "start a life away from that violence".
Her defence lawyer Andrew Hoare told the court his client had suffered years of physical and emotional abuse at the hands Mr Murray, and she had become enraged when she believed her "nest egg" had been taken.
"My client had been subjected to financial constraints for years and isolated from her family and isolated from her friends," he said.
"This planned escape … had been taken from her."
'I'm going to jail for this'
The court heard during the altercation, Mr Murray began assaulting his wife, including choking her in their front yard in front of other residents.
Following this, Herholdt became aggressive and demanded to know where the money was, before taking a kitchen knife and striking Mr Murray from behind, the court heard.
CCTV, which captured distressing audio of the lead-up and moment of Mr Murray's death, was played to the court.
Noises of the initial assault can be heard, and at one point Herholdt says "I hope you f*****g die, dog" before then telling her husband "I love you" and "you know I'm going to jail for this".
When delivering his sentence Justice Peter Davis told the court he accepted Mr Murray had been "horribly violent" to Herholdt over a long period of time.
"Various witnesses over the years saw you being attacked," he said.
The court heard of multiple occasions where she was seen being physically assaulted by Mr Murray, including being dragged naked outside her home, being headbutted in a restaurant and being admitted to hospital with broken ribs and swelling to her head.
Mr Murray had also been jailed for assaulting her during their relationship, the court heard.
Justice Davis said on the day of the stabbing Herholdt was "understandably in an aggressive and agitated state".
"That was the latest in a long line of appalling acts of violence Mr Murray perpetrated on you over a lengthy period," he said.
"The fact that your anger boiled over in the way that it did does not give lawful excuse for your offending but in a human way it is understandable."
Justice Davis told Herholdt "domestic violence is a huge social problem", but despite her relationship circumstances and the "sympathy that you legitimately attract as a victim", an appropriate sentence needed to be handed down.
"The fact remains you unlawfully killed Mr Murray," he said.
Herholdt has spent 813 days in pre-sentence custody, which has been declared as time served, and she can apply for parole.
